Editing Pearson plc (section)

{{Short description|British multinational publishing and education company}}
{{Confused|C. Arthur Pearson Ltd}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} 
{{Infobox company
| name          = Pearson plc
| logo          = Pearson Logo 2025.jpg
| image         = Shellmexhouse.jpg
| image_caption = [[Eighty Strand]], Pearson's headquarters in [[London]]
| former_name   = S. Pearson & Son
| type          = [[Public limited company|Public]]
| traded_as     = {{ubl |{{lse|PSON}} |{{NYSE|PSO}} |[[FTSE 100]] component}}
| founded       = {{Start date and age|1844}}
| founder       = [[Samuel Pearson]]
| hq_location   = [[Shell Mex House]], [[London]], England
| key_people    = {{ubl|[[Omid Kordestani]] ([[chairman]]) |Omar Abbosh ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])}}
| revenue       = {{decrease}} {{GBP|3,552 million}} (2024)<ref name="results">{{cite web |url=https://plc.pearson.com/sites/pearson-corp/files/2025-02/pearson-2024-full-year-results-press-release_28_february_2025-v2.pdf |title=Annual Results 2024 |publisher=Pearson plc |access-date=28 February 2025}}</ref>
| revenue_year  = 
| operating_income = {{increase}} {{GBP|541 million}} (2024)<ref name="results"/>
| income_year   = 
| net_income    = {{increase}} {{GBP|435 million}} (2024)<ref name="results"/>
| net_income_year = 
| assets        = {{increase}} {{GBP|6,892 million}} (2024)<ref name="results"/>
| equity        = {{increase}} {{GBP|4,063 million}} (2024)<ref name="results"/>
| num_employees = 17,612 (2023)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://plc.pearson.com/sites/pearson-corp/files/pearson/annual-report-2023/2023-annual-report-and-accounts.pdf |title=Annual Report 2023 |publisher=Pearson plc |access-date=28 February 2025}}</ref>
| industry      = {{hlist|Education|[[Mass media]]}}
| products      = Educational materials (books, tests), Television distribution
| services      = {{hlist|Educational assessment|school management|higher education}}
| subsid        = {{hlist|[[Pearson Education]]|[[Edexcel]]}}
| website       = {{URL|https://plc.pearson.com/}}
}}

'''Pearson plc''' is a multinational corporation, headquartered in the UK, focused on educational publishing and services. Originating in 1844 and named '''S. Pearson and Son''' by [[Samuel Pearson]] in 1856, what began as a small local [[civil engineering]] business in [[Yorkshire]] grew between 1880 and 1927 into a massive diversified international conglomerate under the subsequent leadership of Samuel's grandson [[Weetman Pearson]].<ref>{{cite web |title=S. Pearson & Son Ltd |url=https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap10/s-pearson-son-ltd |website=sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk |access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> By the time of World War II, the company had major national and international subsidiaries in manufacturing, electricity, oil, coal, banking and financial services, publishing (periodicals and books), and aviation.

After the Second World War and the British government's nationalisation of many industries, Pearson refocused on publishing and media. In 1984 the company changed its name from S. Pearson & Son plc to '''Pearson plc'''.<ref>{{cite web |title=PEARSON PLC |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00053723 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION |url=https://plc.pearson.com/sites/pearson-corp/files/pearson/archive/memorandum-of-association-2009.pdf |website=plc.pearson.com |publisher=PEARSON plc |access-date=22 February 2024 |page=1 |date=October 2009}}</ref> Under the leadership of CEO [[Marjorie Scardino]], in 1998 Pearson PLC formed [[Pearson Education]], and by 2016, Pearson education was Pearson plc's exclusive focus. As of 2023 Pearson Education, known since 2011 as simply Pearson, is Pearson plc's main subsidiary.<ref name="Pearson PLC AR2022"/> Pearson owns one of the GCSE [[Examination boards in the United Kingdom|examining boards]] for the UK, [[Edexcel]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses.html |title=Edexcel GCSEs &#124; Pearson qualifications |website=qualifications.pearson.com}}</ref> Pearson plc has a primary listing on the [[London Stock Exchange]] and is a constituent of the [[FTSE 100 Index]]. It has a secondary listing on the [[New York Stock Exchange]] in the form of [[American depositary receipt]]s.